Individual Learning Style Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training Sascha Hirzel COM516 September 20, 2013 Dorina Varsamis

Learning Style Assessment Three learning types: Auditory Visual Kinesthetic Learning Style Assessments are designed to help you better understand yourself as a learner (Bixler, n.d.). Assessments can be found online, and they ask you a series of preference-based questions to determine what type of learner you are. There are three types of learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Not all people can be classified as a single type of learner. Many people learn best in two ways, and some people are capable of productive learning using all or any of the three styles of learning.

My Individual Learning Style(s) Visual and Kinesthetic I took a Learning Style Assessment test and the results said that I was most like a visual and kinesthetic learner (James, 2009).

My Individual Learning Style(s) Contd. First Test Result: Second Test Result: After taking two different Learning Style Assessment tests, I found that the results were extremely consistent. Explain distributions.

Qualities of Visual Learners Like seeing information Enjoy illustrated concepts Visualize information Visual learners benefit from being able to see what they are learning. For example, visual learners may opt to read a transcript of an audio file rather than listening to it. Visual learners also benefit from illustration, imagery, and color. Visual learners may be able to remember things more easily if they close their eyes and visualize them. (James, 2009)

Strategies for Visual Learners Sit at the front of the class Color-code things Try drawing things out Use flash cards Take notes Strategies for improving how to learn as a visual learner include using visual aids, such as flash cards or drawings, to remember concepts or terminology. Color coding information can help to organize information when interpreting learning Sitting at the front of the class (this is especially important for visual learners with poor eye sight). Having your eyes checked regularly is also essential. Another strategy that may help is taking notes on what is said in class so that they may be read later on. (What’s Your Learning Style?, 2011)

Qualities of Kinesthetic Learners Talk with their hands Remember what they have done Benefit from hands-on learning activities Kinesthetic learners often talk with their hands or act things out. Kinesthetic learners benefit from hands-on activities where they can hold, touch, or manipulate materials. In addition, kinesthetic learners may not remember what was said, but they will remember what they did. (James, 2009)

Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners Participate in hands-on activities Take breaks It’s okay to fidget Kinesthetic learners can improve how they learn by actively participating in hands-on activities like drawing, building, touching, etc. Kinesthetic learners often need to take breaks during study periods or get up and walk around. It’s also okay to chew gum, pace, fiddle with something in your hand or shake your foot. (What’s Your Learning Style?, 2011)

VARK Learning Styles (The Vark Questionnaire. 2011) There are other learning style assessments available. Kolb and VARK are two popular tests for assessing learning types and determining learning strategies. VARK analyzes the same type of data as the initial Learning Style Assessment with the addition of the Read/Write category. My personal result for this test show that I am predominantly Visual and Kinesthetic, as was shown by previous tests, but that my learning style almost as heavily based in Reading and Writing. (The Vark Questionnaire. 2011)

Kolb Learning Cycle (Kolb’s Learning Cycle, n.d.) Kolb’s learning cycle strays away from how environmental factors affect learning, and instead analyzes how learners interpret and process information. It examines how strongly people learn through: Abstract analysis (people who learn best this way tend to conceptualize things and try to understand relationships between events), concrete or tangible experience (these are the people who want to be hands-on), active participation (these are the learners who make plans and decide what needs to be done), and passive observation (those who observe passively would take a step back and review what has been done). With the data Kolb collected with his inventory, he developed a list of four types of learners: Accommodators, Assimilators, Convergers, and Divergers. (Kolb’s Learning Cycle, n.d.)

Conclusion It is important to understand the type of learner you are You may be adept at learning in multiple ways Do the things that work for you Understanding what kind of learner you are can help you reach your full academic potential. If you learn in ways that are effective, you may understand concepts more quickly or be more likely retain the material. Remember that not every person will fall into just one type of learning style. Personally, I am both a visual and kinesthetic learner. By combining strategies for both of these learning styles, I hope to be able to find an effective way to learn any kind of material.

References Bixler, B. (n.d.). Learning Styles Inventory. Retrieved from http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm James, B. (2009). Learning Styles. Retrieved from http://sunburst.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning- style/ Kolb’s Learning Cycle. (n.d.). Truman State University. http://excellence.truman.edu/tutoring/userfiles//Kolbs_Learning_Cycle -TSSC.pdf The Vark Questionnaire. (2011, July). University of Redlands. Retrieved from http://www.redlands.edu/docs/StudentLife/VARK_Main_ Copy_Updated_Version_7.1_%28July_2011%29.pdf What’s Your Learning Style? (2011). Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Retrieved from http://educationplanner.org/students/self- assessments/learning-styles.shtml